Photos: Meet Vega, Europe's New Rocket

Vega Rocket First Launch

The European Space Agency's first Vega rocket lifts off from Guiana Space Center in Kourou, French Guiana in a flawless launch debut on Feb. 13, 2012.

Artist's Impression of Vega

Credit: ESA - J.Huart, 2011

This artist's impression shows ESA's Vega rocket during launch. Vega is due to launch in January 2012, in what will be its maiden launch, from Kourou, French Guiana.

Vega Rocket Launch Timeline

Credit: ESA - J. Huart, 2012

This ESA graphic depicts the flight timeline and major events for the first launch of the new Vega rocket on Feb. 13, 2012.

Artist's View of Vega

Credit: ESA-J. Huart

Artist's view of Vega, Europe's new small launcher.

Fully Assembled Vega VV01 on Pad

Credit: ESA/S. Corvaja

ESA’s new Vega rocket is now fully assembled on its launch pad. Final preparations are in full swing for the rocket’s inaugural flight. Flight VV01 will lift off from the new Vega launch site at Europe’s Spaceport in Kourou, French Guiana, carrying nine satellites into orbit: the LARES laser relativity satellite and ALMASat-1 from ASI with seven CubeSats from European Universities. Image released Jan. 26., 2012.

Vega VV01 on Pad in Mobile Gantry

Credit: ESA/S. Corvaja

ESA’s new Vega rocket is now fully assembled on its launch pad. Final preparations are in full swing for the rocket’s inaugural flight. Flight VV01 will lift off from the new Vega launch site at Europe’s Spaceport in Kourou, French Guiana.

Vega VV01 on Pad with Ariane Lauch Site in Background

Credit: ESA/S. Corvaja

ESA’s new Vega rocket is now fully assembled on its launch pad. Final preparations are in full swing for the rocket’s inaugural flight. Flight VV01 will lift off from the new Vega launch site at Europe’s Spaceport in Kourou, French Guiana, carrying nine satellites into orbit: the LARES laser relativity satellite and ALMASat-1 from ASI with seven CubeSats from European Universities. In the background the Ariane launch site is visible.

Hoisting of Vega's AVUM Fourth Stage

Credit: ESA - M. Pedoussaut, 2011

Vega rocket preparations are moving full speed ahead at Europe's Spaceport in French Guiana. On December 17, 2011, the AVUM – Attitude & Vernier Upper Module – liquid-propellant fourth stage was added to the vehicle.

Vega in Launch Zone

Credit: ESA - S. Corvaja, 2011

ESA's new Vega small rocket stands in the launch zone at Europe's spaceport in French Guiana.

Vega Launcher

Credit: ESA - S. Corvaja, 2011

ESA's new Vega small launcher took the next step towards its maiden flight with completion of a dry-run with a full-scale mock-up at Europe's Spaceport in French Guiana in April.

Vega Launch Zone

Credit: ESA - S. Corvaja, 2011

ESA's new Vega small launcher took the next step towards its maiden flight with completion of a dry-run with a full-scale mock-up at Europe’s spaceport in French Guiana in April. This rehearsal of the final countdown tested launch operations and the rollout of the mobile gantry. One particular test showed that the vehicle and the pad structure can withstand high winds during the hours before launch.

Vega in Mobile Gantry

Credit: ESA - S. Corvaja, 2011

ESA's new Vega small launcher stands in the mobile gantry at Europe's spaceport in French Guiana in April.

View of Vega Rocket from Mobile Gantry

A view from the mobile gantry at Europe's spaceport in French Guiana shows ESA's new Vega small launcher.

Hoisting of Vega's Payload Composite

Credit: ESA - S. Corvaja, 2011

In February 2011 a full-scale mock-up of the new Vega launcher was assembled on the vehicle’s launch pad at Europe's Spaceport in French Guiana. Vega assembly was completed with the addition of the payload composite, comprising a payload mock-up, the payload adapter and the fairing. The composite was first transferred from the payload preparation building to the launch zone and then hoisted onto the vehicle.

P80 First Stage Transfer

Credit: ESA - S. Corvaja, 2011

A mock-up of Europe's Vega launcher first stage was transferred on October 26, 2010, from the Booster Integration Building to the Vega Launch Zone at Europe's Spaceport in French Guiana. The ground segment elements that were used for the transfer and the integration of the P80 stage onto the launch table included the dolly interface, the upper and lower pallets and the anti-vortex shedding ring.

LARES Preparations

Credit: ESA, CNES, Arianespace, Optique Video du CSG, S. Martin

The LARES laser relativity satellite from Italy's ASI space agency undergoes preparations at Europe's Spaceport in French Guiana. LARES will be launched on board the maiden flight of ESA's new, small Vega launcher in January 2012.

Vega on Launch Pad

Credit: ESA - S. Corvaja, 2011

ESA's new Vega small launcher has taken the next step towards its maiden flight.

LARES Satellite in Preparation

Zefiro 9-A Rocket Motor Test Firing

Credit: ESA - S. Corvaja, 2011

On 23 October, the Zefiro 9-A rocket motor successfully completed its first firing test at the Salto di Quirra Inter-force Test Range in Sardinia (Italy). This test is a significant step towards the ESA Vega launcher's qualification flight. After a nominal 120-second burn time, during which a maximum combustion pressure of 75 bar was reached, the roar of the motor stopped as expected. The first results confirm the expected performance increase for this enhanced version of the motor, as well as the robustness of the modifications introduced in the nozzle design.

Successful Firing of Vega's First-stage Motor in Kourou

Credit: ESA/CNES-SOV

Vega's first-stage motor came to life on November 30, 2006, when it was ignited for its first static firing test at the Guiana Space Center, Europe’s spaceport, in Kourou, French Guiana.

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Vega Rocket First Launch

Credit: ESA - S. Corvaja, 2012

The European Space Agency's first Vega rocket lifts off from Guiana Space Center in Kourou, French Guiana in a flawless launch debut on Feb. 13, 2012.

Artist's Impression of Vega

Credit: ESA - J.Huart, 2011

This artist's impression shows ESA's Vega rocket during launch. Vega is due to launch in January 2012, in what will be its maiden launch, from Kourou, French Guiana.

Vega Rocket Launch Timeline

Credit: ESA - J. Huart, 2012

This ESA graphic depicts the flight timeline and major events for the first launch of the new Vega rocket on Feb. 13, 2012.

Artist's View of Vega

Credit: ESA-J. Huart

Artist's view of Vega, Europe's new small launcher.

Fully Assembled Vega VV01 on Pad

Credit: ESA/S. Corvaja

ESA’s new Vega rocket is now fully assembled on its launch pad. Final preparations are in full swing for the rocket’s inaugural flight. Flight VV01 will lift off from the new Vega launch site at Europe’s Spaceport in Kourou, French Guiana, carrying nine satellites into orbit: the LARES laser relativity satellite and ALMASat-1 from ASI with seven CubeSats from European Universities. Image released Jan. 26., 2012.

Vega VV01 on Pad in Mobile Gantry

Credit: ESA/S. Corvaja

ESA’s new Vega rocket is now fully assembled on its launch pad. Final preparations are in full swing for the rocket’s inaugural flight. Flight VV01 will lift off from the new Vega launch site at Europe’s Spaceport in Kourou, French Guiana.

Vega VV01 on Pad with Ariane Lauch Site in Background

Credit: ESA/S. Corvaja

ESA’s new Vega rocket is now fully assembled on its launch pad. Final preparations are in full swing for the rocket’s inaugural flight. Flight VV01 will lift off from the new Vega launch site at Europe’s Spaceport in Kourou, French Guiana, carrying nine satellites into orbit: the LARES laser relativity satellite and ALMASat-1 from ASI with seven CubeSats from European Universities. In the background the Ariane launch site is visible.

Hoisting of Vega's AVUM Fourth Stage

Credit: ESA - M. Pedoussaut, 2011

Vega rocket preparations are moving full speed ahead at Europe's Spaceport in French Guiana. On December 17, 2011, the AVUM – Attitude & Vernier Upper Module – liquid-propellant fourth stage was added to the vehicle.

Vega in Launch Zone

Credit: ESA - S. Corvaja, 2011

ESA's new Vega small rocket stands in the launch zone at Europe's spaceport in French Guiana.

Vega Launcher

Credit: ESA - S. Corvaja, 2011

ESA's new Vega small launcher took the next step towards its maiden flight with completion of a dry-run with a full-scale mock-up at Europe's Spaceport in French Guiana in April.

Vega Launch Zone

Credit: ESA - S. Corvaja, 2011

ESA's new Vega small launcher took the next step towards its maiden flight with completion of a dry-run with a full-scale mock-up at Europe’s spaceport in French Guiana in April. This rehearsal of the final countdown tested launch operations and the rollout of the mobile gantry. One particular test showed that the vehicle and the pad structure can withstand high winds during the hours before launch.

Vega in Mobile Gantry

Credit: ESA - S. Corvaja, 2011

ESA's new Vega small launcher stands in the mobile gantry at Europe's spaceport in French Guiana in April.

View of Vega Rocket from Mobile Gantry

A view from the mobile gantry at Europe's spaceport in French Guiana shows ESA's new Vega small launcher.

Hoisting of Vega's Payload Composite

Credit: ESA - S. Corvaja, 2011

In February 2011 a full-scale mock-up of the new Vega launcher was assembled on the vehicle’s launch pad at Europe's Spaceport in French Guiana. Vega assembly was completed with the addition of the payload composite, comprising a payload mock-up, the payload adapter and the fairing. The composite was first transferred from the payload preparation building to the launch zone and then hoisted onto the vehicle.

P80 First Stage Transfer

Credit: ESA - S. Corvaja, 2011

A mock-up of Europe's Vega launcher first stage was transferred on October 26, 2010, from the Booster Integration Building to the Vega Launch Zone at Europe's Spaceport in French Guiana. The ground segment elements that were used for the transfer and the integration of the P80 stage onto the launch table included the dolly interface, the upper and lower pallets and the anti-vortex shedding ring.

LARES Preparations

Credit: ESA, CNES, Arianespace, Optique Video du CSG, S. Martin

The LARES laser relativity satellite from Italy's ASI space agency undergoes preparations at Europe's Spaceport in French Guiana. LARES will be launched on board the maiden flight of ESA's new, small Vega launcher in January 2012.

Vega on Launch Pad

Credit: ESA - S. Corvaja, 2011

ESA's new Vega small launcher has taken the next step towards its maiden flight.

LARES Satellite in Preparation

Zefiro 9-A Rocket Motor Test Firing

Credit: ESA - S. Corvaja, 2011

On 23 October, the Zefiro 9-A rocket motor successfully completed its first firing test at the Salto di Quirra Inter-force Test Range in Sardinia (Italy). This test is a significant step towards the ESA Vega launcher's qualification flight. After a nominal 120-second burn time, during which a maximum combustion pressure of 75 bar was reached, the roar of the motor stopped as expected. The first results confirm the expected performance increase for this enhanced version of the motor, as well as the robustness of the modifications introduced in the nozzle design.

Successful Firing of Vega's First-stage Motor in Kourou

Credit: ESA/CNES-SOV

Vega's first-stage motor came to life on November 30, 2006, when it was ignited for its first static firing test at the Guiana Space Center, Europe’s spaceport, in Kourou, French Guiana.